Before she could press further, Maya stood up. "Alright, you guys continue. I'll get you hot chocolate, Alina." She winked, completely unaware of the thick air she'd just left behind, and walked toward the counter. Now it was just the two of them.
Ryan leaned back in his chair, shoulders finally loosening a little. The air wasn't sharp anymore; it had softened, just like the laughter that still lingered faintly between them. He found himself studying Alina, the curve of her easy grin, the quick sparkle in her eyes, and something in him eased.
"I was right when I said you two are alike," Ryan said, the corners of his mouth twitching up. His voice wasn't loud; it was almost like a thought that slipped out before he could stop it.
Alina blinked, then tilted her head. "Alike? Maya, and I?"
Ryan gave a small nod, lifting his coffee cup halfway before setting it back down without drinking. "Both of you have that… unshakable way of saying what's on your mind. It's… rare."
Her brows rose a little, surprised. Compliments weren't something Ryan threw around carelessly; she could feel it in the weight of his words. "Hmm," she hummed with a sly smile, "I'll take that as a compliment."
Before Ryan could reply, Maya returned, balancing a steaming cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Her focus was entirely on not spilling it, tongue caught lightly between her teeth as she leaned forward and carefully placed it in front of Alina.
"Here you go. Don't burn your tongue," Maya said warmly, dusting her palms together as if she'd just set down treasure.
Alina grinned. "Thanks, babe."
Ryan was still watching, quiet, as if the rhythm of their friendship fascinated him. Then Maya, sliding into her chair again, glanced at Ryan and said, almost too casually, "Did Alina tell you about the roommate?"
Ryan's head tilted slightly, curiosity instantly sparking. "Roommate?" His tone carried both interest and caution, his brows drawing together just a little.
Maya looked between them with a tiny smile, as if she enjoyed being the bridge. "Alina's actually looking for one. She lives ten to fifteen minutes from here. It's good, actually. Saves her from running the whole place alone."
Ryan's grip on his cup loosened, then tightened again, betraying the sudden thrum of thought behind his calm face. A roommate. Nearby. That's… something.
Alina shrugged, pretending like it wasn't a big deal. "Yeah. Rent's manageable, but I'm not running a circus. No loud music, no parties, no mess. Non-negotiable." Her tone was firm, but playful at the edges.
Ryan's eyes flicked to her, then down at the table. His thumb rubbed absently against the porcelain rim of his cup, a faint crease forming between his brows as if weighing something.
Maya leaned closer, her chin propped in her hand. "She's picky. Last two people she interviewed, one left his socks in the living room, the other couldn't stop humming songs at midnight''
Ryan's lips twitched—the faintest hint of amusement—but his voice, when it came, was low and deliberate. "Actually…" He hesitated, eyes narrowing a fraction as if testing the thought aloud. "There's someone I know. He's… interested."
Both girls looked at him instantly. Ryan shifted slightly in his seat, leaning forward, elbows brushing the edge of the table. His gaze flicked briefly to Alina, steady and calm, before returning to his coffee cup. "He'd agree to your rules. No loud music. Clean. Quiet." He paused, letting his words sink in. "If you don't mind, maybe I can take a look at the place. Before I tell him."
Maya raised her brows, instantly curious. "Oh? Someone you know? Who?"
Ryan's expression didn't flicker, but inside, his thoughts were running fast. Not yet. Don't say it. Not here. He masked it with the smallest shrug. "Good friend of mine, Better to check first before making promises."
Alina tilted her head, studying him for a beat longer than necessary. She couldn't quite read him. she nodded. "Fair enough. You can see it. No harm in that."
Ryan exhaled slowly through his nose, relief cloaked under his neutral face. He tapped his thumb once against the table, almost like a silent punctuation to the decision.
"Good," he said simply, his voice calm. But inside, his mind was already moving ahead. after sometime when all of them finishes their coffees and bit of gossips
"So, shall we?" Ryan asked, his voice level but his eyes flicking between the two women. He jerked his chin toward the door in a quiet signal.
"You guys go on," Maya said, gathering the empty mugs from the table, stacking them carefully in her hands. "I need to keep an eye on the café."
Ryan lingered a moment longer than necessary, watching her tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her focus on the clinking mugs instead of him. Something in him tightened, though his expression stayed smooth.
"So… we're leaving?" he asked again, softer this time, his gaze still resting on her.
"Yeah," Maya answered simply without looking up.
Ryan's jaw flexed. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting a glance, a question, maybe even a faint tug of reluctance but whatever he wanted, it wasn't there. All he had was her clipped confirmation, and it left a hollow space in his chest he didn't admit even to himself. He exhaled silently through his nose, turning toward the door. His steps felt heavier than they should.
Alina fell into stride beside him, her hands swinging loosely at her sides, her eyes darting to his face. A small smirk tugged at her lips.
"So… you expected her to be jealous?" Alina asked, her tone light but edged, like she was tossing a pebble into still water just to watch the ripples.
Ryan's head snapped toward her, the crease between his brows deepening. "What?"
She tilted her head, studying him with playful sharpness. "Come on. Don't act clueless. You looked at her like you were waiting for something."
Ryan's throat worked. He shook his head quickly, his voice even but too quick. "No, I didn't."
Alina chuckled, slow and knowing, her eyes glinting under the streetlights. "Relax. I'm not accusing you of a crime. I'm just saying there's nothing like jealousy between Maya and me. Not even close. So don't hold your breath for that."
Ryan's jaw ticked, but he kept his eyes forward, forcing his steps steady. "Why would she feel jealous?" His tone was dry, almost clipped, but the stiffness betrayed him.
"Because of the way you look at her," Alina shot back without hesitation.
His steps faltered, just slightly, before he steadied them again. He angled his face away, but she caught the twitch in his mouth, the faintest give-away.
"How?" he asked finally, voice low, forced casual, though his fingers flexed nervously at his sides.
Alina laughed softly, shaking her head. "You think nobody notices? Aren't you the same guy who was standing outside the café a few days ago."
Ryan froze mid-step. The morning seemed to tighten around him.
The memory hit him like a strike the cold air, the glow of the sunlight, Maya moving behind the counter while he stood across the street, pretending he had somewhere else to be. He had lied to Kai, told him he was heading to the hospital… but his feet had betrayed him, dragging him here.
He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.
Alina's voice cut through his silence, soft but certain. "I know it was you"
Ryan's lips parted, but no words came. His eyes stayed pinned to the road ahead, his hands tightening into fists then releasing.
"I didn't say yes," he murmured finally, his voice thin, strained.
"But you didn't say no either," Alina countered, her tone gentle now, like she was peeling back a layer without cruelty.
Ryan's silence was louder than words. The street stretched out before them, narrow, dimly lit, the sound of their footsteps echoing faintly. He kept his gaze fixed forward, refusing to turn, refusing to let her see the flicker in his eyes. And then...
"So you love her?" Alina asked, her words light but her eyes sharp, watching him closely.
Ryan's head turned sharply toward her, his expression unreadable, but his silence gave him away. His lips parted, but instead of answering, he cut the air with a flat question, his voice carrying an edge of desperation.
"Is this your house?"
Alina blinked at him, taken aback by the sudden pivot. "No," she said slowly, her lips quirking, "little more distance."
Ryan gave a curt nod, quickening his pace as if to outrun her words, as if distance could smother the truth burning inside him. But his chest ached, his thoughts circling back no matter how he tried to cut them off. She saw me. She knew.
And Alina, walking beside him with that sly, knowing smile, let the silence linger. She didn't push further. She didn't need to. Because his silence was louder than any confession.